Dhampire No More
by TheGraey1
Summary: D looses his vampire side and becomes completely human. Will he try to regain his lost powers or will he dare to live the impossible dream and 'have a life' Some chapters might be 'M' rated. I will indicate which ones are at the beginning of each chapter.
1. Rude Awakenings

**Dhampire No More**

Chapter 1: Rude Awakenings

By Chad 'Graeystone' Harger

xxxxx

D had not felt this much pain since the time he was stabbed in the heart during his mission to hunt down Count Lee. During his lucid moments he remembered what his father told him about being stabbed in the heart. "From what I figure it's like being slapped in the face with hot pasta that's been tied around a mountain," his father said.

D felt like two mountains with uncooked pasta hit him. He slipped in and out of consciousness so many times he lost count. He also lost track of how much time passed. D started to lose consciousness again. This time D resisted the urge. It took all his strength, which there was not much left, to keep awake. He found himself in a hospital room.

"Doctor, he's opening his eyes," said a young woman's voice.

D strained to keep awake. Even if it meant tapping his vampire strength D had no desire to slip back into darkness.

"I'll take over from here," said a man's voice. "Can you hear me? Tell me your name if you can."

"Name is D," said D in a low voice. It hurt his throat to speak. At least he was fully conscious.

"I am Doctor Johan Smith," said the doctor. "You have been through what must have been a horrible ordeal."

D tried to remember what happened. "I don't remember much. There was fight but after that," he said as his voice trailed off. D painfully sat up in bed. That should not happen to him. Dhampires and vampires have few things in common but one of them is photographic memory. They did not forget things unless they wanted to.

"Drink some water. Its probably a good thing you don't remember," said Johan. He handed D a glass of water.

"What happened to me?" asked D after he drank the water. He looked at himself. He wore hospital garbs and his arms were bandaged. The doctor was hesitant to answer. "Tell me," D tried to say forcibly. His voice of intimidation failed him.

"Your injuries were extensive. It's a miracle you even survived," said Johan. "Broken bones, internal bleeding, your left lung was punctured. I can't even begin to imagine what organs had been damaged. If it wasn't for myself and some healers I know you would have died."

D wondered what could harm him like this. The only person he could think of was his father but he was dead. He was there when it happened. As for the injuries he had a lot worse done to him and it never affected him this badly.

"What do you remember about the fight?" asked Johan.

"I was hired by the town to hunt a group of roaming vampires that had been terrorizing the people," said D. "I engaged them in battle. After that I can't remember anything."

"There was an explosion. We think it happened where you battled the vampires. The mayor wasn't about to send anybody out. We thought you were dead. Then you staggered back into town. At first we didn't believe it was you," said Johan.

D did not know of any other dhampires who dressed like him. "Why not?" he asked.

"Brace yourself," said Johan. "I bandaged your arms because I did not want you to see what happened to you without anyone here. This will be quite a shock." Johan took off the bandage off D's right arm.

D's eyes widened. He did not know how to react. "These are burn marks," said D.

"Its your normal skin color now," said Johan.

D continued to stare at his arms. No longer the chalk white tone he always saw. Now his skin has color to it. D knew what it meant. The injuries he would normally recover from within a few hours, the loss of memory and fading in and out of consciousness. D looked at Johan and for the first time the hunter felt fear. "I'm no longer a dhampire."

"You are completely human now," said Johan. "Whatever happened during the mission destroyed your vampire side."

"That's impossible!" yelled D in denial.

He tried to get out of the bed. He was not accustomed to a weaker body. His legs gave out and he fell. Johan helped D back into bed.

"This isn't an illusion or some vision," said Johan. "This is cold hard reality. The sooner you accept it the better off you will be."

D looked at his left hand. "Awaken and help me already. I know you're in there," said D.

"What are you doing?" asked Johan with concern. He thought D was having a breakdown.

"What did you do to him?" D replied.

"Do with who?" asked Johan.

"My left hand is infected by a parasite. Did you remove it?" demanded D.

Johan asked with concern, "What kind of parasite?" Next to vampire bites, parasites are a doctors biggest concern.

"The kind that can talk," answered D.

Johan's face went pale. He knew exactly what D meant. The death those parasites caused was just as bad as the nuclear war. "You have one of those . . .things inside you? I thought they were extinct."

D punched the palm of his left hand as hard as he could. That always got the parasite's attention. D shook his left hand. He was not used to stinging sensation. "I don't have it anymore," said D.

"It's a good thing you don't," said Johan. "Your vampire metabolism is probably what kept you from being devoured by it. Now that you are human I would've had to have cut it out. Later I want to run a test to make sure you don't have any eggs in your bloodstream."

D knew this had to be an illusion. There was one way to break it. "Doctor, do you have a knife I could see?"

"D, this is big change for you. Violence toward yourself or others will not change anything," said Johan.

"Do not worry. I will not harm you or myself," said D. "A knife or something with a sharp edge is all that I require."

"I don't know what you're up to but I guess it can't hurt," said Johan. "I've heard you always keep your word. I take it that hasn't change?"

"It has not," said D.

The doctor left and returned minutes later. He held a scalpel in his hand. "Will this do?" he asked.

"Yes," said D. He took the scalpel and looked at it. He touched the blade and cut his skin.

"D!" said Johan.

"My mistake. I am not used to this body," said D. He looked at the flowing blood and he had no reaction to it. Whether a vampire's own blood or another's spilled blood it always awoke the blood hunger to some degree.

D sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the wall. When a person realizes they are in an illusion it can always be shattered with a sharp blade. Cutting through part of the illusion always ruined it. It was like popping a bubble. D slashed at the wall with all his strength. The scalpel cut into the wall. The blade broke in half. D looked at the broken scalpel. He handed it back to Johan. "I am sorry for ruining your equipment," said D. His mind finally accepted the truth.

"I'd like to be alone for awhile," D said.

"I understand," said Johan. "If there's anything you need just press the button on the call box on the table next to your bed. I have rounds to make. Try to get some sleep if you can. You were out for so long you need natural sleep. If you have any trouble sleeping I'll have a nurse give you some medication."

"Thank you," said D.

Johan left and D got back into bed. He stared at the ceiling and a question came to him. It was the same question he asked so long ago when his parents died. "What do I do now?" he asked.

_**To be continued . . .**_


	2. Adjusting

**Dhampire No More**

Chapter 2: Adjusting

By Chad 'Graeystone' Harger

xxxxx

_For safety sakes, this chapter is M rated. I might be a little paranoid about it but there's nothing wrong with hedging my bets._

xxxxx

The next morning as Johan made his rounds in the hospital he was called to D's room. The nurse on duty reported that the former dhampire was screaming. Johan entered D's room. D screamed and thrashed around in his bed. Johan saw that D's eyes were closed.

Johan grabbed D by the shoulders. "D, D! Wake up man! You're having a nightmare!" said Johan.

D opened his eyes. They were filled with terror. "My god the visions!" he yelled. "I thought I was going to die!"

Johan sat down in a chair. "You did not have a vision. What you experienced was a dream," said Johan.

D calmed down. "That was a dream?" he asked. "It seemed so real."

"You never dreamed?" asked Johan with astonishment.

"Dhampires and vampires don't dream," said D. He felt ridiculous for overreacting like that. "When we, I mean, they sleep their brains completely shut down."

"Explains some of the undead part," said Johan. He checked D's vitals. "Heart rate and pulse is good. Other than your nightmare you are in good shape."

"There is one thing. I feel some kind of pressure around my groin," said D.

"Does it hurt?" asked Johan. He hoped D did not have an injury that he had missed.

"I feel like something wants to be released," said D.

"You have to use the bathroom," said Johan. He helped D walk to the small bathroom. "Pull your pants down, sit down, and aim down in the bowl and let it happen naturally. Don't forget to flush."

When D came back out he looked at Johan with disgust. The vampire metabolism converted everything into energy for the body. There was no waste that had to be expelled. D knew how the human body worked but to actually experience it was something else. "How do you humans do it?" he asked with same tone as his expression.

Johan quickly looked into the bathroom thinking D made a giant mess. He appeared to do everything right. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Attempt to have children knowing you urinate from the same body part that you have sex with," said D.

Johan had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. "If you're fortunate enough, one day you'll find out its all worth it in more ways than one," he said.

"And I thought vampires had bad habits," grumbled D.

"I've noticed something about you. I saw you when you first entered town and how you interacted with people. You weren't emotional but now you are. You are also more talkative," said Johan.

D realized he was. He always kept himself under tight control out of concern of lashing out with his vampire side and harming a human. "Is that a problem?" asked D.

"I don't think so. Just learn not to overdo it," said Johan. Johan walked to the door. "You're not going to like this but later I have to give you vaccination shots and administer allergy tests. It won't do you any good to end up sick or eat something that you're allergic to that can kill you."

D almost said he does not get sick. Then he remembered he is no longer a dhampire. Without his vampire side he is now susceptible to illnesses. "Very well," he said.

"After you recover from that I want you to go outside and get some fresh air. It will also be good exercise. I'll arrange for a nurse to help you around town," said Johan. "You'll probably want breakfast. Is there anything you prefer?"

"Fruit and honey," said D.

Johan expected D to instinctively say meat. Fruit and honey was the farthest thing from Johan's mind. D gave up meat a long time ago to keep the blood lust subdued. On a personal level D always ate fruit with honey whenever he could. It was one of the few reminders of better times growing up as the prince of vampires.

xxxxx

D did not think the experience of going to the bathroom could not get anymore distasteful. He was wrong. During the first time he saw the roll of toilet paper and knew what it was for. He was glad he did not have to use it. The second time however he had no choice. Then there was the matter of the sweat and smell coming from his body. He had seen humans sweat and knew the human scent well. The sweat felt like slime and the stink was nauseating. It was unclean to him and he told Johan as much. D also raised objections that he did not appreciate a nurse watching him like a hawk while he ate.

"You can shower after I get the results of the allergy test," said Johan. D objected. "Until I know what you are allergic to I can't take any risks. For all I know just touching soap can cause anaphylactic shock."

"You are over exaggerating," said D.

"I've heard the rumors you are quite old. During your long life have you ever heard of a dhampire who lost their vampire side like you did?" asked Johan.

"No."

"Neither have I. You will have to excuse me for being overprotective because I don't like losing patients for stupid reasons or through sloppiness," said Johan. "Just wait a few hours and I promise you will be able to take a shower. Until then you need to get used to the idea of crapping, pissing, stinking, and sweating."

Johan left the room. D looked at him with a raised eyebrow. The doctor was normally calm but his lasts words were anger. D knew what he did wrong. He acted like the one kind of vampire he never wanted to be, a Noble. "Great," said D. Of all the connections to his vampire side that still lingered it would be the pompous self-righteous attitude of the Nobility. A small part of him did miss the parasite. D was sure the mouth that never stopped would eat this whole mess up and bug him for the rest of his life over the way he was behaving.

D spent the rest of the day pacing in his room trying to get adjusted to his human legs. Johan returned and told D the good news. "You can take a shower. You don't have any known allergies. I ran another blood test and discovered you don't need vaccine shots either. For now you still retain some of your dhampire immune system. That could change at any moment. If you ever get sick see a doctor right away."

"Why not give me the shots now?" asked D.

"Your immune system would reject the vaccines," said Johan. He put a toiletry kit on the table. "You do know how to use this?"

D knew it was not an insult directed toward his former self. The bathroom experience raised the question if D could take care of himself on a personal level or not. "I am a vampire hunter," said D. "It is not the cleanest profession in the world. Vampires and humans do have one thing in common and that is halitosis."

"Pont taken," said Johan. "D, I have to be honest. You will be completely healed in a couple of days. After that I will have to discharge you from the hospital." Johan hesitated before speaking again. Besides the rumors concerning D's age there is also the rumors that say he is completely alone in the world. "Is there anyone that can help you adjust?"

A day's ride from this town lived someone D had not seen in forty years. The last time he visited it did not go well. Right now he had nothing to gain other than more guilt. "There is a family by the name of Lang who lives in a town north of here."

"Didn't Count Lee control that area? I remember now. One of your biggest hits from the stories I heard as a child," said Johan. D frowned at Johan. D still kept the past behind him and thought about it as little as possible. "I'll have a messenger head out first thing in the morning," said Johan.

"Thank you," said D hoping he hid his nervousness well. Johan was right. He had to get a grip on his emotions.

xxxxx

The next day D and a pretty blond nurse named Betty took a walk through the town. D walked funny. He used a cane to keep balance. People looked at the former dhampire with curiosity. In the past D's hearing would picked up the whispers. Without that advantage D could only guess what was being said. Now as then he did not care what they thought about him. D stopped and looked at the sun. For once he let the warmth of the vampire's bane cover him. His vampire side made him so cautious of the sun that he always kept himself nearly covered.

"What a fool I was," said D bitterly.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" asked Betty with concern. She was told if D started to remember what happened to him it could be traumatic.

"Not that," said D. "As a dhampire I could walk in the sun without spontaneously combusting. My only concern was heat syndrome."

"You feel you wasted the opportunity to enjoy what is deadly to vampires," said Betty.

"There were a lot of things that I could have done. I always let the fear of my vampire side going out of control get the better of me," admitted D.

Betty smiled at him and it was not the reassuring kind. Her smile and green eyes expressed the wanting of sex D had seen countless times before. Humans still did not understand the dangers in having a relationship with a vampire. Even those who thought it was fine to have a relationship with a dhampire played with fire. D plenty of disasters like Charlotte Elbourne and Meier Link. D came close in creating one of his own when Doris Lang tempted him with both her blood and body. D shivered thinking about his own parents and the consequences of what happened.

D looked at Betty knowing he is no longer constrained by the dangers. His body started to react. She wanted this and D had to be honest. He wanted this so much it hurt. Betty is young and supple. D still retained much of his good looks and beauty. Two centuries ago Left Hand crudely called him a chick magnet. Even with a fling D could finally satisfy a lifetime of pent up desire.

"My apartment is over there," said Betty who pointed at a large brown house.

"Won't you get into trouble for this?" asked D.

Betty put a finger on D's lip. The touch was enough to make D euphoric. "Not if you tell anyone," she whispered seductively.

D wanted to ask why she was doing this. He found it hard to think. All he could think of was what he heard from others. The subtle and not so subtle acts of sex and the incredible climax. "Sure," stammered D.

They went inside Betty's apartment. A small kitchen and living room with a single bedroom and bathroom, which is basic for most people.

"I have to use the bathroom first," said Betty.

"Damn," said D under his breath after she closed the bathroom door. The desire and lust went away just like that. She had to mention having to go to the bathroom. D put the mental image of a woman urinating then having sex out his mind. At this rate D figured he would never get laid. It was a probably a good thing he stopped anyway. Throughout the millennia of life D always heard that sex should be special and never squandered. From his mother before disaster struck to what a lot of people said. In his heart D knew if he ever got the chance he wanted it to be special and not something transient.

D smiled thinking about that word while he looked around the apartment and thinking of a way to tell Betty he was no longer interested. He saw a photo of Betty and some of her fellow nurses. The image of Betty caught D's eye. He picked up the photo and examined it closer. He frowned and set it down. While his vampire side is gone his hunter instincts remained.

D quietly walked into the kitchen. He picked up a small cutting knife and carefully slid it into his pocket. D heard the toilet flush and walked back to the living room. He smiled at Betty as she came out. "Are you ok?" she asked.

"A little nervous," said D.

Betty laughed and said, "Don't worry I will take away your fear."

D was nervous. He was not wrong about Betty or whoever this woman is. D's concern was for himself. The kind of injuries he used to get is now fatal to him. Betty did make a mistake. She hugged D thinking she was still fooling him. D slid the knife out of pocket and lightly jabbed Betty in the stomach. "Who hired you?" he asked.

"You know I won't answer," said Betty. All the seduction was gone from her voice. She looked at D like a predator. Her body tensed while planning a way out of this. "What gave me away?"

"The eyes," said D. "Betty's eyes have small brown speckles. Yours don't."

"Contacts and a lot of make up," admitted Betty. "It won't do you any good."

D heard of a female assassin who used disguises to get close to her victim. "You must be Yonda the Hidden," said D. D felt her body move. He pushed blade enough to draw a little bit of blood. "Don't move," warned D. "I still have my hunter's instinct. Where is the real Betty?"

"Betty is asleep underneath her bed. I never harm the people whom I mimic," said Yonda.

"You just let them take the blame," said D. "Who hired you?"

"You'll have to kill me," said Yonda. "It's the only way and I know you won't do that. The great D doesn't kill humans unless they've been bitten and have been turned."

"I never killed a human because of my vampire side," said D. "I'm no longer bound by it." He pushed the knife enough to get the point across.

Like all assassins Yonda was a coward when it came to her own life. "How about an arrangement," said Yonda. "I'll tell you who hired me and you can let me go. None of this ever happened."

D thought about who would hate him enough and also have the money to hire an assassin of Yonda's caliber. Vampires were out of the question. Human assassins never worked for vampires. Vampires hired the Barbaroi for things like this. That left humans and in D's experience most people who hated him drove him out of town. D never returned to such towns unless there was an emergency or the generation that drove him out died. The key is the money and D knew one person who has enough hatred and money to hire Yonda.

"Alan Elbourne," said D.

"Good guess," said Yonda. "Even if I fail there will be others. Plenty of others want you dead including humans who hate you because of what you are." D tried to hide his surprise. Yonda laughed and said, "They know you're human and they don't want you to return to what you once were. They think a dead human is better than a living dhampire. Alan just happened to be the first in line."

"I already know what his motive is," said D.

He and Leila did not bring back Charlotte alive. As Charlotte's father feared, she fell prey to the vampires. Alan lost it and swore revenge against them. Alan believed they did nothing to save his dear sister's life. D restrained Leila from beating the hell out of Alan. As he and Leila left the Elbourne estate D looked back at Alan and gave him a rarely used expression of anger. The message was clear. He goes after either of them D would strike back in kind.

Yonda subtly moved. She had a dagger of her own hidden up her sleeve. D drove the knife deeper into Yonda. "I warned you," he said without emotion. "Did you go after Leila?"

"She was supposed to be next," said Yonda. "I thought you would be the easier one. My mistake."

Yonda did not bother to be subtle. She purposely attempted an open attack. D had no choice to but to kill Yonda. He drove the knife as far as he could into her. Yonda stiffened once. Her last words were, "Killed by the legendary D. At least I will be remembered for this." D pushed the body away from him. Many assassins have booby traps in the form of explosives that go off if they killed.

D walked into the bedroom. He looked under the bed and as Yonda said the real Betty was tied and gagged. D pulled her out and freed her. "How are you?" asked D.

"S-scared," admitted Betty. She started to cry.

"Betty, I need you to do something for me," said D. "I want you to get the sheriff and Doctor Johan. Can you do that? Something is wrong with me and I don't think I would make it that far."

Betty nodded and left the apartment. D heard the apartment door close. He tensed letting his body finally react to shock.

xxxxx

The Sheriff Bourne and Johan were contacted. They rushed to Betty's apartment where they found Yonda dead on the floor and D in Betty's bed shaking like a leaf. Johan gave D some medication to calm his body down.

"What happened?" asked Johan after D recovered.

"A woman disguised as Betty tried to kill me," said D. He rubbed his forehead wishing the pain would go away. "How is Betty?"

"Doing better. You both suffered from shock. What I don't understand is how it happened to you," said Johan.

D's face turned red. "Yonda tried to seduce me. She almost did. I discovered who she was and I killed her."

"How did you handle sexual tension as a dhampire?" asked Johan.

"Long cold showers," D said with sarcasm.

"You let the coldness of your vampire side take care of it," reasoned Johan.

D became angry. "How did you know?"

"I've treated dhampires before," said Johan. "Some were like you. They did not want to harm humans even if it meant an existence of celibacy."

"I never knew that," said D.

"Do you know anything about your own kind?" asked Johan.

"What is my own kind?" snapped D.

"Dhampires," said Johan.

D laughed bitterly. "I told the woman I thought was Betty that there was a lot that I never considered enjoying like sunlight. On the off chance I change back to my former self I'll try to enjoy the warmth of the sun." D leaned close to Johan. "As far as sex goes the risk is the same when it concerns dhampires and humans. How many dhampire couples do you know of that have children? There is only one way my kind is born and you damn well know what it is. I know everything there is to know about my kind and a lot of it makes us evade one another so we are not constantly reminded of the price of our existence."

D walked out of the apartment. Johan walked behind him. "You need to go back to the hospital," said Johan. D headed that way. He wanted to sleep. He was exhausted and in a bad mood. "D, I'm sorry," said Johan. "I never thought it was that difficult for you."

"Don't bring it up again and it won't be," said D.

They returned to the hospital. In the lobby D stopped when he recognized someone he had not seen in a long time. His eyes widened with surprise. Doris Lang waved at him and ran up to him. She hugged him hard. "The usual silent treatment," she said.

It was not D's old habit of being a man of few words. Forty years passed since he saw Doris. This woman who claimed to be Doris looked like her as she was the first time D saw her when she was bitten by Count Lee over fifty years ago.

_**To be continued . . .**_

xxxxx

_Geh! I think a lot of writer will agree with me on this point: "There is always one chapter in a story that does nothing but give the writer grief." I must've rewritten parts this chapter three times. The biggest problem was the attempted assassination of D. First I wanted it in then I changed my mind and decided to save it for the next chapter not wanting to dump too much on D. Then I changed my mind a third time and decided to put in this chapter. Ok, I'm done ranting so close your browser or whatever then patiently wait for chapter 3._


	3. Gains and Losses

**Dhampire No More**

Chapter 3: Gains and Losses

By Chad 'Graeystone' Harger

xxxxx

_(Note: This chapter is rated M for graphic violence.)_

D pushed Doris away from him. "You are not Doris," he said.

The look a like smiled. "I'm told that I look like mother," she said. "I'm her daughter, Danielle. Call me Dani."

"I didn't know Doris had a daughter," said D with surprise. After the bitter parting he had no further contact with the Langs.

"I hate to break this up but D needs to rest," said Johan.

"I'll visit tomorrow if that's fine," said Dani. "I'm staying at the hotel two streets over. I've heard so much about you and I can't wait to hear the stories."

"If I was only thirty years younger and single," said Johan after Dani left.

"That would be unwise of you," said D in a low tone of voice. "There are a handful of people that I actually care about. The Lang family is among them. You better keep your manners around her."

"A-alright," stuttered Johan.

D went back to his room and went to sleep. He was tired and exhausted from what happened earlier. He was happy Doris found real love. Perhaps the last time they met it opened her eyes to the kind of man he sometimes is. "I'm not a nice man," muttered D as he fell asleep and started to dream.

_D is in Count Lee's castle. The degenerate count is in the middle of the sham of a marriage to Doris. Count Lee turned his head hearing a slight noise. A dagger strikes his eye. Count Lee does not yell in pain as most vampires would. He pulled the dagger out and senses that accursed vampire hunter D._

_D attacks with deadly silence. He wants to make sure the last thing Count Lee sees is D's sword cutting him down the center. Count Lee however is not powerless. His ten thousand years of life is evident of it. He raises a barrier and slams D against the ceiling._

_Count Lee raises D's sword with a telekinetic grip and touches the tip of the blade against D's neck. "How many vampires have you killed with this sword?" asks Count Lee._

_D does not answer and instead taps into his own power and nothing happens. D attempts again. He can feel the blade dig slowly into his neck. He starts to panic as blood starts to spray out. D cannot understand why his power fails him._

"_Did you think a human could defeat my father?" asks Ramika mournfully._

_A human? D turns his head and with peripheral vision he sees his hand is fleshed colored like a human._

_The sword digs deeper in his neck. Blood sprays from wherever the sword cuts. D screams but his mouth produces no sound. The sword destroyed his vocal cords and voice box. The sword completes its deadly objective. D's eyes widen in fear one last time and –_

D screamed and woke up. His body and bed sheets are drenched in sweat. He is tangled up in the blanket. He kicked and pushed it away. With a free hand he grabbed his neck. Calming down he stares at the wall. The image of the nightmare stuck in his mind. D does his best to push the nightmare out of his mind. He is thankful he no longer has photographic memory.

D got up and used the bathroom. This time he feels no revulsion after urinating. "Don't tell me I'm getting used to that," he said.

The clock on the wall reads nine AM. D used the call box. A nurse came to his room. "How are you feeling?" asked the nurse as she took D's vitals.

D looked at the name on the nurse's tag. Her name is Julie. "Except for the nightmare I'm feeling better. How is Betty?" said D.

"She is recovering at home. Her brother is with her," said Julie as she checked D's vitals. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes," said D. "I'd like to shower and change first."

Julie did not comment on the sweat-drenched sheets. She had seen worse. She did notice D looked pale. "Is something the matter?" she asked. "You're heart rate and blood pressure are up."

"I had another nightmare," said D. "I don't remember it now except I know it was violent."

Julie smiled to reassure D. "A lot of hunters have nightmares. It's nothing to worry about. Breakfast will be here when you're done taking a shower."

D took his shower. His bed was changed and breakfast waited for him. After eating D went for a walk through the hospital. He stopped at the nurse's desk and asked when Doctor Johan would be available. The nurse said that Johan is in surgery and would not be available until evening.

"I'm going for a walk," said D. "I want to see the sheriff and visit someone."

"I'll have a nurse escort you," said the nurse.

"No thank you," said D without emotion. "I'd rather go alone."

"Very well," said the nurse. It was better she did not object because of what happened yesterday. If D were anyone else they would be trying to get the hospital shut down.

D went outside. He shivered as the cool air passed over him. Before he found the coldness to be comforting as it always kept his body temperature down. Now he found it to be uncomfortable. He adjusted as well as he could. Walking helped keep him warm. D entered the sheriff's building and asked to see the sheriff. A deputy told D to sit down and that the sheriff will be here in a few minutes.

"Hello D," said Sheriff Robert Tanner. "Let's go to my office and talk."

In the sheriff's office, Tanner asked, "What can I do for you?"

"I don't want my name to be mentioned in your report concerning Yonda's death," said D.

Robert did not like leaving anything out of a report. There would be no trial. Betty's story backed D's account and the known patterns concerning Yonda's criminal activities. D's actions were self-defense pure and simple. "Why don't you want to be mentioned in the report?" asked Robert. "If your enemies knew you killed one of the top five assassins in the world they would think twice about coming after you."

"Before she died Yonda said she would be known as the assassin who died by my hands," said D. "I will not give the likes of her that kind of legacy."

"What about other assassins who might be coming for you?" asked Robert.

"In a sense I died the day my vampire side was destroyed," said D. "Yonda said there are humans who want me dead. That alone will throw them off for some time."

"This reeks of a cover up and I don't care for that," said Robert. "I can't expect to uphold the law while participating in a lie."

"Write in your report that the dhampire known as D died during the explosion," said D. "That is not a lie. Leaving out the part of my human side being alive is merely an omission."

"What about the Barbaroi and the Nobility?" asked Robert. Being the best vampire hunter made D an enemy to all vampires. The Barbaroi worked for the Nobility as long as the vampires paid them.

"The Barbaroi could be a concern. The first and last time I went there a fight broke out," said D. "They tried to kill me. One of the Markus Brothers interfered in his own way and a lot of Barbaroi died that day. To save face with the vampires the Barbaroi had to declare me an enemy. Before this happened to me they generally left me alone as long as I did not attempt to enter their valley."

"We've stepped up town security for human assassins," said Robert. "When you leave town you will be on your own."

"Is there any clues as to what happened to me?" asked D.

"There is nothing left of the scene," said Robert. "There is an area thirty feet in diameter and its scorched earth from the explosion. There is a lot of ashes most likely what is left from the vampires you were fighting."

D's heritage was that of being the son of Dracula the Vampire King. D inherited all of his father's power. Like his father in later years when he started to repent of his sins, he rarely used his full power; D was trained the same way. D never tapped his power unless had to.

"The kind of vampires you hired me to kill are known as blood packs," said D.

"I thought their butchery was unusually animalistic," said Robert.

Blood pack vampires are created through the bite. What makes them different is that their minds are drained of intelligence and have no chance of ever regaining it and have the mentality wild animals. Nobles create them to be akin to guard animals. The other way blood pack vampires are created is through sloppiness on the Noble's part. Sometimes a Noble will either drain too much blood or not enough blood when feeding. Either way the victim's brain will be starved of oxygen and blood. This causes brain damage. The victim is left with a small part of a vampire's rapid healing ability and it is not enough to repair the brain damage.

"I've fought blood packs before," said D. "I never had a problem with them."

"There is one possibility. It was a trap," said Robert.

"I don't believe so," said D. "I wouldn't be alive period. Given my wounds and turning human I would not have lasted very long. I wish I could remember."

Robert studied D's expression carefully. "Do you want to remember? You look like you are having doubts."

"Why wouldn't I want to remember?" D asked with anger. "I lost my vampire side for crying out loud! That never happens!"

"What is really bothering you?" asked Robert. "Something else is happening to you and you don't know how to handle it."

D slumped in the chair. His anger faded and was replaced with desperation. "I don't know what do. With a couple of exceptions I've always been sure of what to do in a crisis. Now I'm confused and I hate it."

"Take your time," said Robert. "Soon you'll have to make some important decisions. Don't be afraid to make them."

"I know," said D. "Being caught in a time candle trap then stabbed in the heart with my own sword was easier to deal with."

"You were stabbed in the heart?" asked Robert with surprise. Unless D had help Robert could not think of how the dhampire could survive being stabbed in the heart.

"That's the other reason why I'm here. I want to see my sword," said D.

Robert led D to what passed as the evidence room. Robert unlocked the door. D's sword leaned against the wall wrapped in clear plastic. Robert took a knife and cut the plastic. "Here you go," said Robert. "Vampires are strong but that sword weighs a ton. Is it magic?"

"No," D simply said.

Just like himself, his sword was considered a legend. Many people including vampires believed the sword to be one of Dracula's personal weapons. While the sword did have the density and tensile strength of a vampire's cloak while in a solid form, the only other special thing about it was made from an experimental metal D discovered early in his career. D found a ruined lab where scientists created the metal before World War Three wiped out the civilization. D forged the sword as a counter to the vampire's cloak.

D never thought of the sword as heavy. The only time he felt the sword's weight were the times he pushed his luck as heat exhaustion drained him of strength. He always figured it was being weak that made the sword feel heavy. Now he was not sure. D walked over to the sword and put a hand around the hilt. He pulled the sword out a fourth of the way before his arm strained. He let go and the sword slid back into the scabbard.

"D?" asked Robert. He never seen a man this devastated before.

D ignored the sheriff and walked outside. Robert followed him to the exit. He watched D walk down the street with his shoulders slumped and his head hung in defeat.

"What's with him?" asked a deputy.

"Walt, we're in trouble," said Robert. "D lost his vampire side and that's going to cause trouble for the rest of us."

"Yeah, so?" asked Walt. "At least there's one less dhampire in the world."

Robert resisted the urge to beat Walt to a pulp. Robert did not care that Walt was the mayor's son. He was an idiot. "Don't you understand? D was hunting vampire before most of our ancestors were born," said Robert. "Human hunters are a joke to vampires and most dhampire hunters don't last long. D on the other hand was a genuine threat to them. We both know what happened to Count Lee and that vampire was ten thousand years old. When word gets out that D is out of the picture all hell is going to break loose."

xxxxx

D walked down the street feeling despair starting to crush him. People looked at him with pity. Pity was something he did not want. He glared back at the people who looked at him.

"D," said Dani who saw D from across the street. D ignored her and continued wandering. "I know you can hear me," she said.

"I don't want to be bothered," said D.

Dani grabbed D's wrist. "What did I say about that? Call me Dani. I know what your problem is. You need a good stiff drink," she said.

"Now's not the time to get drunk," said D.

"There's a difference between having a drink and getting drunk," said Dani. "You look like hell and need something to settle your nerves."

Danielle grabbed D's wrist and dragged him to a bar. The bar was filled with unsavory types. Some of the people D was sure were wanted for crimes. Others were the usual bullies and troublemakers that wander from town to town, causing trouble that landed them in jail or kicked out of town.

Danielle ordered a bottle of whiskey. She poured herself and D a shot. Danielle tilted her head back and downed the whiskey in one shot. D sat nursing his drink.

"Since you don't have your vampire side it won't hurt you. It'll be strong at first but let it calm your nerves," said Danielle.

D started to laugh then drank the whiskey. The room did spin a little but his nerves calmed down. He slammed the glass on the table. "I feel better. Thank you."

"Wait a minute," said Dani with suspicion. "There's no way you could recover that quickly. You were well, part vampire."

"Vampires can drink alcohol," said D. "They have low tolerance to the stuff so they rarely drink. Even I had that weakness. Its how my father's enemies were able to incapacitate him."

D immediately stopped talking. He never talked about his father let alone what happened to his parents and the aftermath. The doctor said D was more talkative than before. D had to start considering his words before he said them. Dani did not inquire any futher.

"What happened between you and mother?" asked Dani. "Mom rarely talked about it but I know it had something to do with Uncle Dan."

"One of the reasons why I never made any kind of attachments is because of the impact I sometimes have on people. I became a surrogate father to Daniel," said D. "I was a vampire hunter and your grandfather was a werewolf hunter."

"And Dan wanted to do one or the other," said Dani. "Now I know why mother did not talk to Dan for so long. She never out right said it but I knew it hurt her more than she let on when you left after your mission was completed."

"I never return to a town until the people I've known there have died. After I read Doris' letter, it was the first time I ever returned to a town where the people I cared for still lived," said D. "I should have ignored it because nothing was changed."

"Mom wanted you to talk Uncle Dan out of it," said Dani.

"I told them how I felt about it," said D. "I told Doris that Daniel was a man and had the right to choose his own path. Your uncle wanted me to train him and I refused. I also reminded Doris what she told me about her father. I told Daniel that many vampire hunters are fortunate to die or give up and retire. More times than not they end up turned into the very thing they hunt. He knew what the warning behind that was and I would not hesitate in doing the deed if he was ever turned."

"They were unhappy at what you said," said Dani.

"Hunting vampires, especially the nobles, is not a thing for humans," explained D. "At the same time I was hesitant in interfering with the free will humans possess and did not want to force a choice upon Daniel. When I discovered Charlotte did love Link I should have backed off because her feelings were out of her own free will and not forced. The only good thing that came out of that mission was that I was able to stop Carmilla's resurrection with the inadvertent help that came from Link. I'm sure you know what happened to the Marcus Brothers."

D poured another drink but did not drink it.

"Dhapmires want to be left alone and I was only one dhampire," said D. "I have no pity for humans who throw their lives away like that. All of the training and preparation in the world cannot help them when it comes to the likes of Count Lee or Camellia. Most of the average vampires are nearly extinct. The Nobility on the other hand is still out there and you can be sure they will not go quietly into the long night."

"Uncle Dan was good at hunting. He stopped hunting when he got married ten years ago," said Dani. "He and a group of other people built a village in an area that is free of Barbaroi and Nobility."

D did not realized how tense he was. He would never admit that the Langs were the closest thing he has to a family. What he said to Johan was a slip of the tongue.

"You are a woman now," said D. "What are your plans?"

"There's a guy in the village that I've been seeing," said Dani. "We grew up together. Between the both of us farming is going to be a breeze."

"Your mother did not come with you. Is she alright?" asked D fearing the worst.

"She died last year," said Dani softly. "Weak hearts run in the family especially with the women. Count Lee did not help matters. The doctor said the stress she experienced during that time shortened her lifespan. I think that son of a bitch did a number on mother's heart when he bit her and drained her of some her blood."

D felt like an uncaring fool. He should have kept a quiet watch on Doris. He had all the time in the world to make peace with her and he blew it. He thought of Leila and the promise he made with her. It was possible he could never fulfill his part of the promise now that he was no longer immortal.

"Mom wanted me to do something that concerns you if we ever met. She wanted to me to tell you that you were right," said Dani. "She knew Dan could take care of himself and would never put himself into any serious danger. She was scared of being left alone."

"Her father's death," said D.

"Did you know grandfather?" asked Dani. "I always found it odd you did the Lee job for nothing. I thought it was because you knew him."

"I went after Count Lee regardless of your mother's condition," said D. "I am going to tell you something but you must never repeat it to anyone. The older a Noble was, the more personal it was for me."

"You're looking for an excuse to retire," said Dani.

D was taken aback but the sudden claim. "What makes you say that?"

"You keep on referring to the job in the past tense," answered Dani. "You also said hunting isn't a thing for humans which you now are."

D drank his whiskey. "I guess I am," he said with realization. "I quit!" he laughed.

A drunk walked up to them. He leered at Dani. "Hey baby, since loser boy quit why don't I show you a good time?" he asked.

D started to rise out of his seat.

"I got it," said Dani.

D sat back down. "If you say so."

"Be back in a minute," said Dani. She stood up and took the drunk by the arm. "Let's go outside. There's an alley next door."

D watched them leave knowing history was about to repeat itself. Like mother, like daughter D thought.

"What kind of man would let her go off like that alone?" asked an angry waitress.

"She can take care of herself," said D. "Her grandfather and uncle were hunters."

"He's screwed isn't he?" asked the waitress. There are two mistakes a human can make against a hunter. The first is directly angering a hunter the second is messing around with a hunter's family because chances are a hunter will train their children how to fight.

A minute later the answer to her question walked through the front door. Dani shook her right hand while muttering.

"Did you hurt your hand?" asked D.

"His jaw wasn't glass. The ol' knee to the groin always works," said Dani. "On the way back I got an idea. You can always come to the farm for a bit and I can help you adjust to living like a human."

"I don't want to intrude in your life," said D. "I already caused enough interference." D tapped his shot glass. "I know a hunter who retired recently. I have to see her anyway. Her life might be in danger and I want to check up on her."

"D has a crush," teased Dani.

"More like professional courtesy," said D in that tone of voice that betrayed no emotion.

Dani yawned and said, "It must be getting late. I have to start back home in the early morning."

"I better get back to the hospital before Doctor Johan reports me as missing," said D.

"D, could I ask you for a favor?" asked Dani.

"Of course," said D.

"Could you visit mother's grave? I think she would like that," said Dani.

xxxxx

D returned to the hospital. Johan waited for him at D's room. "Where were you?" asked the doctor.

"Visiting a friend," said D.

"I don't know how they did it in the ancient days but patients are not permitted to just wonder off," said Johan.

"When can I be discharged?" asked D.

"In a couple of days maybe less," said Johan. "Have you made plans?"

"I have," said D. "Doctor, I would like to ask a favor of you. I want you to have my sword. It's too heavy to carry and I don't want it laying in the sheriff's evidence room."

"I can do that," said Johan. "Can I keep the jewel also?" he added jokingly.

"Not the jewel. It is part of a . . .promise," said D.

Johan did not enquire further.

Two days later D was discharged from the hospital. Since D did complete the mission he was paid. A third of it went to the hospital for their services. D gave quite a bit to Betty as an apology for what happened to her. D bought a month's worth of supplies and some traveling clothes. For a weapon he bought a much lighter long sword.

D went to the stables to get his horse. The cyber-horse was repaired and fully rested up. D used the rest of his money to pay for the charges of taking care of the horse.

The cyber-horse was not sure about the human D. D gently rubbed the horse and let her sniff him. His body was different but his smell was basically the same. D said a few soothing words to the horse and she finally accepted him.

Leading the horse outside D was greeted by a large group of people. They looked at him with guilt. Many turned their gaze away with shame. They blamed themselves for what happened to him.

"I don't blame anyone for what happened to me," said D. Someone tried to speak. D held up a hand for silence. "I was a hunter. Like all hunters I knew the risks. I willingly took the job without being coerced or forced. What happened to me was unexpected and I still don't know what caused it. Since I awoke I admit I was confused and uncertain what to do next. Now I am no longer concerned." D saw Johan in the crowd and nodded at him. "I am hanging up my sword. I am finished as a vampire hunter."

D waited for the gasps and yells to die down.

"In a sense this is also a blessing," continued D. "I once told a fellow hunter that we don't get to have lives. That was especially true in my case because of my dhampire nature. Many of you are wondering what to do next. Its been said that I was the greatest vampire hunter of all. Some of you are perhaps fearful that with my retirement the vampires will see this as a sign that they can strike back. Someone once told me a long time ago that there is something stronger than any steel or vampire." D pointed at a church and said, "And that is faith. As long as humanity has faith the vampires will never conquer you."

D smiled and said, "Lastly, I want to say thank you. Your town is one of the few that welcomed me without the usual prejudices and hatred shown toward dhampires."

D snapped the reigns of his horse. The horse trotted through the town and out into the wilderness where D's new life awaited him.

xxxxx

D visited Doris' grave. He was surprised he cried. He spent a few days with Dani. She was disappointed that Left Hand was gone. D did not comment on that. Sometime he missed the parasites. Other times he recalled the parasite's smart-ass mouth causing more trouble than needed. D's feelings changed to being glad the parasite was gone. D knew he had mixed feeling about Left Hand and was sure if he would ever resolve how he truly felt about Left Hand.

Three weeks into his journey D became fearful. He traveled during the night and slept through the day. During the third week he stopped having a good day's sleep. Not once did he run into any trouble. Not from the Barbaroi, wild mutant animals, or vampires. In the past during the rare times he could take his time while traveling some kind of monster or mutant would attack him. This time however D's only problem was the eternal annoyances called mosquitoes. He found it very disturbing that everything he saw was purely natural and nothing was the result from the radioactive fallout from the bombs or from some other dark forces.

D was close to becoming a nervous wreck when he reached his destination. A small frontier village that was far away from the struggle against the vampires and other night creatures was built as a haven for people who wanted to escape the terror.

D stopped at a house that was outside the town but still within eyesight. D walked to the door and did some breathing to calm his nerves. Why he was nervous he did not know.

D knocked on the door and waited patiently for someone to answer. When the door opened D smiled and said, "Hello Leila, its me, D."

_**To be continued . . .**_


	4. Get a Life

**Dhampire No More**

Chapter 4: Get a Life

By Chad 'Graeystone' Harger

xxxxx

Leila slammed the door in D's face. D knocked on the door again.

"Its really me," said D.

"Get lost," yelled Leila.

D made sure no one was around to hear what he was going to say. "We made a promise to each other. When one of us dies the other would bring flowers to the grave," said D.

Seconds passed before the door opened. This time Leila pointed the cannon she called a gun at D. Leila gave D another look over. "D would never tell anyone about that," she whispered as she lowered her gun.

"No I wouldn't," said D.

"Good lord," said Leila. "I heard rumors that something happened to you but I didn't believe them."

"Something did," said D.

"Yeah, you look like hell. And you stink," said Leila. "When was the last time you bathed?"

"Four weeks ago before I left the hospital where I was recovering," said D.

"Come in," said Leila. "You can use the bathroom upstairs. You're probably hungry."

"I am," admitted D. "I was riding hard with few breaks. Almost rode the horse to death."

"Little wonder there," muttered Leila in reference to D's notorious habit of losing horses.

"What was that?" asked D.

"Nothing. Now hurry up and take a shower before you stink up the village," said Leila.

D did not comment on Leila's attitude. After she mourned her fallen comrades she returned to her usual blunt self. It dawned on him that he might have interrupted something. "Did I come at a bad time?" asked D.

"No," answered Leila from the kitchen. D heard how hard she was cutting food and the anger she had whenever the knife hit the cutting board.

After he cleaned up, D sat down to eat. He had not had a home cooked meal in so long. With the exception of Grover, the Markus Brothers always looked well off. D understood why. "You're a good cook," said D. Leila did not thank D for the compliment. "What's the matter?" asked D.

"I said its nothing," said Leila. "You're here to talk about yourself. How did the great D get messed up?"

"My vampire side went out of control and I lost it including the parasite. How and why I don't know," said D. "Now about you."

"You lost the parasite?" asked Leila with a smirk. "Guess today isn't so bad after all."

Leila and Left Hand did not get along. As D and Leila made their way to this village so Leila could settle down in peace, Left Hand spoke to her with one of his usual smart-ass remarks. Leila threatened to cut D's hand off and yank the parasite out by whatever was connecting him to D.

"Are the villagers treating you ok?" asked D.

"Huh, yeah. They're a good bunch," said Leila. "I think its me. Hunters have to be . . .rigid. There's no room or error."

"You're acting like a perfectionist around them," said D.

"I have to loosen up but it's hard to do. Old habits and whatnot," sighed Leila. "Tell me what happened to you and no quick and dirty answers."

"That's all I have," said D. "I was hired to hunt a group of bloodpack vampires. During the fight my vampire side went out of control. According to the town sheriff it was scorched earth. When I woke up in the hospital the doctor said I wondered into town. The doctor was amazed that I even survived considering how bad my injuries were. The one thing I know for sure was that it wasn't a trap."

"Unless it was a trap and you killed whoever was behind it," said Leila.

"I don't remember the details fully but I do know there was nothing about the battle that indicated a trap," said D. "I have a blank spot and I can't fill it."

"Do you think you can get your vampire side back if you do remember?" asked Leila.

"I doubt it," answered D. "What happened to me sure was not a cure for the vampire condition." He took a sip of tea. "There is one possibility for regaining my power and I as soon as I had the thought I immediately put it out of my mind."

"Letting another vampire turn you," said Leila.

"Letting myself be turned would make a full vampire. While I could regain my lost powers I would not have the dual nature of a dhampire to keep it all in check. I would make the likes of Camellia look timid in comparison," said D. "The only thing I have left of my former self is the immune system. Doctor Johan warned me that that could go at any time."

"As if you hadn't done that already," said Leila about D's power. D looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I didn't like standing around feeling helpless. I went after you wanting to help. I saw you battle her spirit," said Leila. "I also heard her accusation before that parasite sucked her in. Is it true that you're the Vampire King's son?"

"Does it matter?" asked D defensively.

"As the prince you could've united the vampires but didn't," said Leila. "Did it have something to do with your mother? When I was trapped in that illusion I thought I heard another woman speaking. I didn't piece it together until much later and don't get angry with me either. I told you what happened to my parents. Its your turn now."

"No its not," said D. "One thing has not changed and its my unwillingness to talk about my past. To give you a small idea why I renounced the throne is because I had no desire to rule over a bunch of traitors."

Leila did not reply. Personal experience was explanation enough. The stories concerning how the Vampire King met his demise might be true and what she heard while in the illusion was a clue.

"There's another reason why I needed to see you. Someone tried to assassinate me while I was recovering," said D. "You were next on the list."

Leila thought of whom they shared as a common enemy. Vampires were obvious but she did not have the same reputation as D. It did not take long to know who wanted them both dead.

"That son of a bitch Elborne," she said in a low tone of voice. "I'm going to kill him."

"Don't bother," said D. "He failed with me and nothing happened to you. He spent a hefty sum to hire an assassin. He can't hire a second one without raising suspicion."

"Or he's biding his time and waiting to see if you and I would see each other," said Leila.

"I don't like underestimating my enemies but I think you're giving him too credit," said D dryly.

"You should have let me smack him upside the head when I had the chance," said Leila.

"Forget about him," said D. "As far as he is concerned we've both dropped off the face of the planet."

"Alright, alright," muttered Leila. "What's your next move?"

"Having a life and the first thing I need to do is find out what my limitations are and figure out what I want to do with my life," said D.

"No offense but what else can you do beside be hunter?" asked Leila.

"There were times when jobs were few and far in between. I had to do something to keep from going crazy from the boredom," said D. "I did good work as a carpenter and I enjoyed it."

"You need to know if you can still do it," said Leila. "Joseph might have some work for you. He and his people built my house. I'll introduce you to him tomorrow."

"Thank you," said D.

"I suppose you want to spend the night here," said Leila.

"Is there an inn?" asked D.

Leila looked at a clock on the wall. "They're closed by now. Last year a stranger entered the inn at night. She was a vampire whose skin was still pink. We killed her before she got to anyone. After that the inn always closes at dusk. There is the couch but I don't know about that. I don't have a guest room either."

"The couch is fine," said D.

"Are you sure?" asked Leila. "My couch is not long."

"I've slept on couches before," said D. "I'm used to it."

"If you say so," said Leila.

xxxxx

D woke up hurting. He painfully sat up. His left shoulder felt like it was crushed. His neck and back were cramped along with his left leg. He slowly got up and made his way to the bathroom. Afterwards he went to the kitchen where Leila was making breakfast.

She looked at D and shook her head. "I tried to warned you but, no, you wouldn't listen."

"Why do I hurt?" complained D.

"You hurt because you slept on something that was too small for you," said Leila. "Stretch out and you'll be fine."

"Never bothered me before," said D. "My vampire metabolism must have kept my body from hurting."

"I'm not buying a new couch," said Leila.

"How about if I buy it?" asked D half-seriously. "I have the money."

"I'll think about it," said Leila. "I'll let you know at the end of the week. You should rent a room at the inn for the time being."

"Good enough," said D. "What do you do for a job?"

"Farming like my parents," said Leila. "I also patrol the area near dusk to make sure nothing tries to sneak into town after dark. These are decent people but they don't have a lick of sense when it comes to the monsters that come out at night. Of course you knew that and that's why you suggested I move to this place."

"If you say so," D simply said.

"I know so," said Leila harshly. Her anger faded. "I understand why. Hunting is like an addiction. Its hard to give up right away."

"It's the thrill that's hard to give up," corrected D. "I've seen hunters who have retired like you. A couple of years would pass and the urge to get back into the hunt would be overwhelming. They go back out and in their rush to feel the thrill of the hunt they became sloppy and end up dead or worse."

"How bad do you think it will be for you?" asked Leila.

D's gaze became hard. It did not have the same intensity as his former self but it was still unnerving. "Do you want to know how many times I came close to quitting? How often I wanted to quit because I became frustrated with the Nobility who couldn't get it through their skulls that they should just leave the planet and the humans who were either too afraid of vampires or too hateful toward dhampires."

"Why didn't you?" asked Leila.

"I had an obligation," said D. "Now I can't fulfill it." D slammed a fist on the table in frustration.

"You couldn't have foreseen this. Nobody will blame you for retiring," said Leila.

D did not say he blamed himself. "When we're with other people call me David," he said to change the subject.

Leila became excited. "Is that your real name?" she asked.

"No," said D.

Leila got an idea to wrangle some personal information out of D. "If you don't tell me what D stands for then I'll tell everyone who you are," threatened Leila.

"You won't like it," said D.

"I don't like a lot of things. Hasn't stopped me yet," said Leila.

"My full name is Drei Vorila Del Hagin Delacroix Vlad Tepes," the former dhampire said.

"You're lying," said Leila.

"Its up to you to decide whether I'm telling the truth or not," D said.

"I preferred it when you outright ignored people who asked you personal questions," muttered Leila.

xxxxx

The former hunter's went Joseph's house. Being the best carpenter and head of the local construction, Joseph has the nicest house in the village. Joseph had the darkest tan D had ever seen. The carpenter was forty although he looked fifty. He spent most of his time outdoors. His skin was leathery and his hands filled with thick calluses. His body was bulky with thick muscles. D thought a Count could punch the big man in the stomach and he would just laugh it off.

"Joseph, this is D . . .er, David," said Leila.

Joseph did not catch the slip of the tongue. "David, huh," he said. He looked at Leila with a wide smile. "Finally got a man?" he asked.

"He's like any other man. He wouldn't be able to handle me," said Leila. "You're free to try at anytime Joseph."

"I don't feel like meeting my wife in the afterlife anytime soon," laughed Joseph. "What can I do for you two?"

"I retired from vampire hunting," explained D. "As a side job I did carpentry when things were slow. I want to see if I can get back into doing it."

"Another one?" asked Joseph with surprise. "Might as well open a retirement home for hunters. I have all the workers I need at the moment."

D asked, "What about small repair jobs?"

The carpenter looked through some papers. "I think I might be able to squeeze you in next week. The church needs new woodwork and paint. Think you can handle that?" asked Joseph.

"That'll be fine. Thank you," said D.

"Come back next Tuesday morning," said Joseph. "We begin work at seven sharp." He put his big arms across his massive chest. "I don't like people being late."

"I'll be there," said D who refused to be intimidated.

**_To be continued . . . _**

_(Author's note- Ok, here's the lame reason why this chapter is late (as in later than I originally planned to post it), "I discovered I had a choice to make. Either I post an insanely long chapter concerning D's life in the village or break it down in shorter chapters. For the sake of consistency (length of each chapter), I decided on shorter chapters, which mean the story is going to be longer than I originally intended . . .and boy does that always happen to me. Anyway, expect a couple of extra chapters. GROANS! I hate when this happens! GROANS! _

_Oh, yeah, one last thing, contrary to the last couple of lines at the end, Carmila IS NOT appearing this story so please don't expect her return. Sorry if it looks like a cliffhanger but it isn't. As stated earlier, I chose to stop there because of the length of the chapter . . .and that thing about sleeping on couches? Trust me, its true! )_


End file.
